04.062 Stigmella samiatella (Chestnut Pigmy)

ID: Keyed in MBGBI1 with a yellow frons but judging from web images labelled as this species the dark-headed form is more usual: Forewing without pale markings; terminal cilia not white; head black or blackish-brown > 6 species In male S.atricapitella/ruficapitella the hindwing has androconial scales in the cilia (not seen in these specimens).S.minusculella/spinosissimae lack the purplish tinge at the forewing apex. S.anomolella f.fletcheri has an abrupt transition to the purple apex.Female S.atricapitella has the frons ochreous contrasting with a dark bronzy brown forewing base. S.tiliae has the frons black contrasting with a pale bronzy-brown forewing base and does not occur in E.England. In the dark-headed form of S.samiatella the frons is concolorous with the forewing base.Male genitalia: not illustrated or described in MBGBI1 for any of these species. S.atricapitella/samiatella only shown at dissection group. S.samiatella shows a series of fine cornuti along the length of the aedeagus with a cluster of more robust cornuti at its apex. (imaging individual cornuti is beyond the resolution of my photographic equipment but the clusters can be clearly seen in the images below).